The American conductor, music educator, and music publisher, Mario di Bonaventura,, brother of the American pianist and teacher, Anthony di Bonaventura (b 1930), studied violin; was a pupil in composition in Paris of Nadia Boulanger (1947-1953) and in conducting at the Salzburg Mozarteum and in Paris of Igor Markevitch. He received instruction in piano accompaniment at the Paris Conservatoire and won the Lili Boulanger Memorial Prize in composition (1953).

Mario di Bonaventura was music director of the Ft. Lauderdale Symphony Orchestra (1959-1962); then taught at Dartmouth College (1962-1974), where he served as director of its Congregation of the Arts, a summer contemporary music festival (1963-1970). After serving as vice-president and director of publications at G. Schirmer/Associated Music Publishers, New York (1974-1979), he was director of the Boston University School of Music (1980-1982).

His son is the American film producer, Lorenzo di Bonaventura (b 1957)..